Hilliardiella elaeagnoides (DC.) N.Swelankomo & J.C.Manning

Herman, Paul P. J., 2022, Hilliardiella elaeagnoides and H. oligocephala (Asteraceae, Vernonieae), two distinct species and the description of a new variety, Phytotaxa 570 (1), pp. 29-42 : 30

Hilliardiella elaeagnoides (DC.) N.Swelankomo & J.C.Manning in Swelankomo et al. (2016: 50).

= Webbia elaeagnoides Candolle (1836: 73) . = Cacalia elaeagnoides (DC.) Kuntze (1891: 968) . = Vernonia elaeagnoides (DC.) Schultz Bipontinus (1844: 668) , non Kunth (1818).

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal: Zwischen Omsamwubo und Omsamcaba, auf Grasfeldern , 1000–1500 fuss [between Umzimvubu/Mzimvubu and Umsikaba/Msikaba , on grassland, 305–457 m], (QDS: 3129BC/BD/DA Port St Johns), 18 February 1832, Drege 5077 (lectotype: G-DC, designated here ; isolectotype: P, barcode P022661 , all seen as images). (Lectotypes chosen as recommended by McNeill (2014). (Information on Drège localities from Drège (1843), Glen & Germishuizen (2010) and labels on Paris specimens) .

= Vernonia kraussii Schultz Bipontinus (1844: 668) ; Sch.Bip. in Walpers (1843: 947), nom. nud. in syn.

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal: In graminosis ad radicem (Octobri) et in summitate mont. Tafelbergen [in grassy places at the foot and the top of Table Mountain], (QDS: 2930DA], August 1839, Krauss 462 (lectotype: MO, barcode MO 391699, designated here; isolectotypes: P, barcode P 022670, TUB, barcode 004988, all seen as images).

Note:— Schultz Bipontinus (1844) cited two Krauss specimens: 48 and 462. Specimens of Krauss 462 are housed in MO, P, TUB ( JSTOR 2022, P online). The TUB specimen with barcode 004988 has two labels attached to it, one label with the number 48 and the date October 1839, and the second label with the number 462 and the date August 1839. The MO specimen was selected as the lectotype to eliminate any confusion. Only one specimen of Krauss 48 was seen on the P online website.

Rigid, robust plant up to 1 m high, with many rigid, erect stems from underground rootstock, with ovate to subrotund, pinnately veined leaves up to 20(–25) mm broad, with many capitula in large, open, corymbose synflorescences. For full description see Swelankomo et al. (2016). ( Figs 1A , 2 ).

Distribution: —Widespread in southern and tropical Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Digital images illustrating the habit and synflorescences of Hilliardiella elaeagnoides and H. oligocephala var. besteri. A. Hilliardiella elaeagnoides growing in the Pretoria National Botanical Garden. Photographer M. Koekemoer. B. H. oligocephala var. besteri growing in Mpumalanga near the eSwatini border. Photographer D. Oosthuizen. C. The few-headed, umbellate synflorescence of H. oligocephala var. besteri growing on the farm Schultzenhorst 718 JT, Barberton District (Mpumalanga). Photographer D. Oosthuizen.

FIGURE 2. Scan of Hilliardiella elaeagnoides specimen (Van Eyssen 9, PRE) to show the robust habit and large, open, corymbose synflorescences.